Bikes

Jamis Dragonslayer

For the last couple of years I’ve been riding a Surly Ogre (details below) but on recent trips, and whilst watching people like Cass, Joe and Mike exploring on fat-bikes over the past couple of years, I’ve found myself yearning to try some fatter tyres. Following the majority of the bike industry like a sheep, I jumped onto the 27.5+ bandwagon and picked up a Jamis Dragonslayer when they were released in the UK earlier this year. It’s steel, relatively cheap and comes with a few features to make it a little more bikepacking friendly. And it has an awesome name. The 3 inches of rubber on the 27.5 inch rims with which the Dragonslayer is equipped might just hit a sweet spot between weight, efficiency, traction and cushioning (if you believe the marketing hype). Or they might just be fun to ride, which seems to be the case from a few unloaded rides in the UK. I’ve upgraded a few things from the stock spec, swopping to a Thompson seatpost, trusted Brooks Cambium saddle, a riser bar with wide, extra chunky ESI grips, Maxxis Chronicle tyres, SLX brakes, and adding a SON 28 15 dynamo hub to the front wheel.

But, knowing that I wanted a bike that was robust, bomb-proof and would enable me to carry gear in a way that let me ride off-road trails as much as possible, I put together something a bit more specific to the task, and therefore a bit more expensive. I took some inspiration from a number of people backpacking long distances on rough roads. In particular, Cass and Mike, who were both riding Surly’s 29in wheeled Ogre (but who have both now moved onto the fat-tyred Pugsley, which I look upon with envy!).

So, this is what has been carrying me along the off-road trails and back roads of France and Spain so far…

And there she is. If you’ve any questions or think there’s something missing, just pop a comment in the box down below. There’s some info on the set-up I’m using to carry my gear over on the gear page (surprisingly!).

Are you using the Supernova E3 Pro 2 light on roads with vehicle traffic? I’ve seen some comments that state this light is so bright and the height of the beam make it unsuitable for vehicle traffic and it’s for off road use only?

The Supernova E3 Pro comes in two versions, a symmetrical beam and a “glare-free” version. The symmetrical beam is not rated for use on German roads, although the shaped “glare-free” beam is. The E3 Triple is considerably brighter and is also not rated for use on the roads in Germany. I’ve only ever experienced any adverse reactions when using the E3 Triple on bike paths and on roads with more pedestrians than cars.

Back to derailleurs iso. the Rohloff, how do you experience that? I am considering to get a Rohloff bike, although it’s much more expensive and heavier than a comparable derailleur equipped bike.
I tend to use my bike for a variety of activities s.a going out mountanbiking on sundaymorning with some friends in sand, mud, dirt road and single track, but also on the road (with different tyres). When on holiday I go trekking with full gear in Europe on my own or using hostels with some friends. And increasingly I find myself moving towards off roading during my multiday treks.